Durmstrang
Year 1
Theme: Grindelwald Wins AU
This is another 'bad guy wins' alternate universe! Gellert Grindelwald has won his war, and now the statute of secrecy has been broken. Never mind broken, it's non-existent! You need to write about what that world is like, is the magical community happier? What about the Muggle community? Is Grindelwald ruling the wizarding world with an iron fist? This story can take place in any era of the Wizarding World, however, it must be clear that this piece of history has influenced the world you are writing about.
Main prompt: 9). Red [Colour]
Optional prompts:7). Swinging on a swing [Action]
10). Snowing [Weather]
Words: 113
Red. That's how her mother described the world after the war. She had said that the world of her childhood it hadn't been good, but it had been better than the world they were living in now. So much had been lost. Alisa may have been young, but that hadn't spared her the horrors. No other child had been spared as well. Her father had been one of the few who hadn't tried to fight. Who had accepted the new world and had bowed down to its rulers. Alisa knew that it was because of her pleadings that he had done so. Her parents had wanted her to have a family still, to not let her face the world without them. They didn't want her to remain without the feeling of true love even if they lived in a very cold world now.
They had no one left besides each other. All their friends had opposed and died.
The Magical world had been an absolute surprise for them, but they would have welcomed it with open arms, had it be done peacefully. Her parents would have welcomed it with open arms, they had done so anyway. Alisa knew that it was because of her refusal to fight though. In her and their opinion, the bloodshed, had been unnecessary. If only both parties would have seen it that way. If only they would have talked.
Gellert Grindelwald, the new ruler of their world, had not seen it that way. In his opinion, the word muggles, which really meant people with no magic, was synonym for idiots. He genuinely believed he was better and that they were stupid. Of course, her world's leaders had not been any better. They hadn't wanted to accept that magical people, wizards, were any better. They had decided to fight and … look where that got them. Dead. Bloodshed. Wizards and muggles alike had died for a man's dream.
Her mother always said that they should have felt the danger he emanated and the power, the raw power. Her parents had felt it just from looking at him in the pictures, in the newspapers. And they have been in the same room as him. How could they not see the red flags in front of them. That man had killed the supposedly most powerful wizard after him, Albus Dumbledore. Wasn't that warning enough?
And now, Alisa lived in a world of red. She knew she shouldn't be here outside, in the snow, all alone. But she couldn't help it. Watching snow fall was beautiful, especially in the moonlight.
It was peaceful at least, but she had no idea long it would last. The park was covered in snow and the swings were wet, but she didn't mind. Perhaps she should be afraid of werewolves, but she wasn't. It was the last thing on her mind.
The new world, without the Statue of Secrecy could have been good if there wouldn't have been so much bloodshed. People had fought with passion for what they believed to be true and it had been in vain. It had been worse than the Great War. Much worse.
However, things were beginning to settle down. There was still fear, and Alisa was sure it would take decades for Muggle people to forget the damage and crimes of Magic. When she was little she'd thought magic was a fairytale power; light; beautiful. Now all she could see was red.
Ten winters ago, even the snow falling had been red in her eyes.
Now she just hoped for peace. It angered her to no end that things were how they were. If he wanted to rule, why couldn't he be a good ruler at least. He tried to play normality, but it wasn't working. More people died every day. The resistance wasn't backing down. It seemed that the people who were behind it were like a constant energy. It wasn't enough to win, just to make things worse. They were courageous, but he was powerful and charming. She knew he had to be. Sometimes she regretted not looking him up, but as long as he didn't make a rule about that too, she wouldn't. She was insignificant anyway. Just a girl swinging on a swing.
The wind blew her hair, leaving her shivering. However the clouds didn't cover the moon. She could still watch the snow falling. She'll have tonight until she had to worry about tomorrow.
Alisa started to swing on the swing again. She chuckled. Her mother used to sing a song to her: "Little girl, swinging on a swing, little girl, now you will fall asleep; Little girl, swinging on a swing, you start to count little sheep; little girl, swinging on a swing, say after me: one, two, three..". That was probably the silliest song ever to make you fall asleep, but it had worked on her. But then, she had always been told she was odd.
There had been a broadcast, just before the real fight had begone, to inform the world about the Wizarding World. Many had believed it to be a farce, but a lot had held it true. The good wizards had to protect them up to the point the Muggle governments had decided to use nuclear powers on them. It had worked once, killing many wizards and witches, but the second time, they had been ready and waiting.
The ground had never seen more blood in its life. After that, the fight had been forfeit. It was weird, though, that he allowed life to go on as usual. She would have expected to be more different. Of course, it wasn't the same, how could it be? But it was still… normal. He had put a multitude of rules in place for both Muggles and Wizards alike, breakage of any of them...you'd have to suffer the consequences.
Maybe she was as stupid as he believed them to be, but she hadn't learnt any of them. Well, none, but six. "Never try to associate yourself with wizards", "Never try to fight wizards" and "Never disagree with a wizard". She had no idea if he was mocking them or he was stupid too. The only three that truly mattered were "Wizards are better and deserve to rule", "Muggles should not be in any power positions as they are not as capable as wizards to rule" and "Humans may be equal between them, but they shouldn't forget that wizards are a superior race."
All the rest were things as stupid and impossible as the other ones. She often wondered if he'd visited certain countries that held the same mantra, only in different ways. Of course, now, they didn't any longer, but still… How could he think all of that? Any person who even remotely broke half a rule was shipped to be judged and tortured. But for the rest he had ordered them to go about their day as if nothing had happened. Except everything had happened. His men were everywhere. If you were caught gawking at a wizard doing magic in the streets, if you were startled by magic, then you had a problem.
For a very powerful ruler, she believed his mind had a switch. The only thing she agreed with him upon was the rule about the crimes committed by Muggles. They would be put under wizard trial and depending on the gravity of the act, they would be sent either to normal prisons or Azkaban. Also, she agreed on his verdict that all Muggle children who had magic in orphanages to be sought and given suitable homes.
But she abided by his rules. She went on with her life as if nothing had happened. She tried to at least. But she was alone now. Her parents had tried to help a child who was out shivering in cold and he'd turned out to be a runaway wizard child. A big mistake on their part. Their neighbour who had her husband on trial - she knew he'd be shipped to the wizarding prison - had sold them out. Turns out the child was from one of his supporters.
Maybe that was why she was now, in the middle of the night, swinging on a swing, alone and letting the snow cover her hair. Maybe that was why she had dressed herself in red. Once, it may have been the colour of love, but to her it was the colour of pain, of blood. She mourned with that colour. Black was too simple for the all the suffering that she felt. She knew she'd lose them and it hurt.
"Isn't it a bit cold to swing in a park?" asked a deep voice, startling her.
Alisa looked up and she gasped. In front of her stood a tall man, who looked...more snowed than she was and beautiful blue eyes. He looked young enough, but the eyes looked much older.
He was looking at her expectantly so she knew she had to answer. She didn't know if he was a wizard, but it wouldn't break any of the rules, he'd come to her! Right? How she wished she knew more now! Before she had parents to rely on...now she only had herself.
"I suppose," she said, choosing her words carefully. "But I love watching the snowfall in the moonlight. It may be cold, but it's beautiful." She let out a small smile while staring at the moon.
"Beautiful…" the man murmured so low that she barely heard him.
"Indeed," he said out loud looking at her.
"Are you alone here?" he asked and Alisa tried not to look at him suspiciously. However, he noticed.
"Don't be afraid, dear. I promise I'm not a spy." At that he grinned at her. "Nor a creep," he added after a second.
It looked genuine to her, but after their neighbour's betrayal, a woman who had been her nanny from time to time, she was nervous, nevertheless.
"I'm sorry if I am a bit suspicious," she said, hoping it was safe enough to say.
He chuckled.
"Well, if I take a vow, would it put your mind at ease?"
So he was indeed a wizard. Alisa decided he couldn't be very bad if he wanted to take a vow for a Muggle.
"Depends on the vow," she said. "You may not be a spy, but you might decide to become one."
He looked at her straight in the eyes and she felt a shiver pass through her.
"You are a smart girl, though very foolish. Very well. I swear on my magic that I am not a spy send to find anything about you, nor a spy in general, for our esteemed ruler. Also I do not plan to become one. I will not hurt you. So I said it, so mote it be it."
A red light engulfed him. Then he said "Lumos. Nox" and light came and stopped from his wand. He had told the truth.
She allowed a smile.
"Thank you," she whispered, looking at him in the eyes. Then she patted the swing next to her. The snow had stopped falling at some point as well as the wind. It was nice.
"You..want me to sit in that swing?" he looked at her incredulously.
She almost laughed at his expression. It was hilarious.
"Yes, it's not that cold. Don't tell me you've swung before in a swing. Come on, it's fun. And you don't look that heavy to break it."
The man looked around as checking they were alone then he came and sat next to her.
They both started swinging.
"So, what brings you here?" he said turning to look at her. "It is a full moon. Are you not afraid of werewolves, Little Red Riding Hood?"
She had to laugh at that.
"I suppose I deserve that one." She sighed.
"I am afraid, I would be stupid not to be, but they're the least of my problems."
"How so?" he asked, looking genuinely concerned.
"My parents have been sold out by our neighbour for kidnapping a wizard child." She wasn't looking so she didn't notice the anger passing through his eyes. "They didn't kidnap anyone. They found him in the snow; he'd run away. Wizards can be bad parents, too. Now, I'm sure they will be send to Azkaban. I will lose them… No! I lost them." A few tears slid down her face.
"It's so stupid!" she exclaimed and stopped swinging. Instead she started pacing in the snow.
"What?" he asked, still on the swing.
"You swear you won't tell your ruler?"
The man smiled at her.
"I swear. I won't tell him anything."
She stopped to look at him, searching his eyes. Deciding he wasn't lying, she rushed and hugged him mid-swing.
It was safe to say he hadn't expected it.
"Thank you," she murmured.
"So, what is stupid?" he asked, gently pushing her back.
"Everything. Your ruler…"
"Is stupid?" he supplied with a smirk.
She blushed and shook her head.
"No, he is not. Or at least I don't think he is. I think he just really needs a reality check. I agree with the no hiding his world, your world from us. But that...this.."she said waving her hands around, "is not the way. All this red around… I don't believe that's what he truly had in mind."
He looked at her pensively.
"And what do you think it is the way? Your Muggle leaders left us no choice. Even now, there is a Resistance."
"I know that too!" she cried.
"Both worlds leaders are impossible. It should have been more quietly done, an easier transition. Not bloodshed. A white path, not red. And his rules are utterly ridiculous. Having magic, does not make you better."
She was such on a rampage she didn't notice that her companion had stopped swinging as well and was glaring her her, air cracking around him.
"What makes one better is their heart. How good of a person they are. If they are honest, compassionate, if they care about others. Not magic. Magic gives you power, it doesn't make you better. Power had all the leaders that ever existed. But it didn't make them better. Their actions did. Nero is remembered to be cruel. As well as Bloody Mary. Louis XIV is known as the Sun King because he brought prosperity to the kingdom. Love is magic too. And anyone can love if they find in their hearts." she was crying by now, slumped in the snow, with her dress appearing as red spot on the snow's white.
"I'm sorry. I may have gone too far. But it hurts so much."she said, wiping her tears and standing up.
She had felt, a part of his anger, she realised he didn't agree with her. And suddenly, she was so tired from everything. Her parents had been taken and she was alone in the world. She didn't know who she could trust. What life was that?
"Do you really believe what you're saying?"he asked instead, not acknowledging her apology.
"Yes, I do," she said looking at him straight in the eyes. He looked surprised, but no longer angry. She then made a choice, she would trust him. After all, she had already told him so much. But first she had to ask him at least one question or two.
"What about you? What are you doing here?"
He looked away and jumped from the swing. The park was silent, except from their breaths and her quiet hiccups as she tried to stop crying.
"I wanted to be alone and I just Apparated in the nearby village. I took a long walk through the forest and then entered your little town. I heard the swing creaking from the street and I was curious who would be in a park so close to the forest on a full moon night."
She looked at him and smiled sadly.
"It seems we both wanted to be alone."
"Yeah, we did."
Alisa didn't know how long she stared at him before speaking again, but once she did she knew she couldn't take the words back.
"I know I asked you not to tell anyone, but I want you to take me to the your police. They have my parents."
He looked disturbed.
"Why? You would be killed or tortured for what you have said?"
"I know. But tonight, sitting on this swing, I was alone. More alone that I have ever been in my life. I don't want to be alone. I wouldn't resist anyway. Look at me! I told you my opinions and I don't even know your name!"
He smiled.
"My name is not important. I do not know yours either. Please allow me to accompany you tonight. If ny tomorrow morning you feel the same, I will help you do what you wish. Sleep for now and I will come in the morning."
She looked at his blue eyes and was surprised to find them warm and kind.
Alisa nodded.
The two left the park, leaving behind two swings which swinging in the wind. The snow shining brilliantly in the moonlight.
Next morning, Alisa woke up feeling much better. The meeting with the stranger had been...refreshing.
She didn't expect to find her parents in the living room. Found innocent they said. But Alisa didn't believe that it was so simple. Her stranger must have done something.
And when she looked at the picture they showed her of the ruler who had come personally to their trial she gasped. He had deep blue eyes.